Vasco Gonçalves

? Vasco dos Santos Gonçalves [ vaʃku duʃsɐntuʃ gõsalvɪʃ ] listen / i ( May 3, 1921 in Lisbon, † 11 June 2005 in Almancil in the Algarve ) was a Portuguese general and politician.

Life

Gonçalves was in 1955 and 1956 as a military in the former Portuguese India ( Goa Velha ), 1966-1967 used in Mozambique and from 1970 to 1971 in Angola. He reached the rank of colonel. As a politically aware that created private economic studies, he was social issues to be disclosed.

He was one of the leaders in the Movimento forcas Armadas (MFA ), which called for an end to the colonial wars in the African overseas provinces of Portugal. In 1973, Gonçalves, at that time Colonel, the movement of the men had joined. On April 25, 1974, the officers of the so-called Carnation Revolution overthrew thanks to the broad support of the population, the government of the dictator Marcelo Caetano without bloodshed.

Gonçalves officiated on 18 July 1974 to 19 September 1975 as Prime Minister of the Provisional Government and successor of Adelino da Palma Carlos. He stood in front of three cabinets. From September 1974 to February 1975, he served as defense and information ministers. Key points of his political agenda were the land reform, the nationalization of the main private means of production, the banks and insurance companies, the introduction of minimum wages and a 13th month salary. Under his rule, Portugal disbanded its colonial empire and dismissed the African colonies of Guinea- Bissau, Angola, Mozambique, São Tomé and Principe and Cape Verde to independence. Gonçalves temporarily called the council democracy.

One of his main opponent was Mário Soares, who initially belonged to several Gonçalves - cabinets as Foreign Minister and later became president. But he also saw himself as an opponent of the Minister and General Secretary of the Communist Party ( PCP) Álvaro Cunhal.

Gonçalves was one of the wings of the revolutionaries, who was close to the PCP. In the summer of 1975 he became a member of the tripartite Board, but was the target of heavy attacks by Ernesto Melo Antunes from the MFA, the Partido Socialista by Mário Soares and the Catholic Church. In the fall of 1975, the group lost to Gonçalves their political influence in the revolutionary movement. In September 1975, he was expelled from the Supreme Revolutionary Council. After that, he was temporarily head of the Military Academy. In February 1976 he was transferred to the final retirement.

On 11 June 2005 Gonçalves died at the age of 84 years while bathing in the swimming pool of his brother in the village of Almancil in the Algarve resulting from cardiac syncope.

Quotes

" You are either for the revolution or for the reaction! There is no third way ... "